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Sally awoke when Lark’s diesels wound down to a low murmur and she felt the surge as their wake overtook them. A gleam from the portlight above told her that the sun was up, and they must be nearing Saipan Harbor. Matt and Willis still slept. She climbed up to the cabin and found Bonebrake sprawled on the settee like a hunting dog returned from the chase. She paused to admire his sleeping form. She wasn’t into him, but there was no denying he cut a fine figure.
She slipped out the door and paused on the aft deck. No rail stood between her and the glittering water. So casually dangerous, here where everyone simply took responsibility for their own safety. With a shrug, she climbed the steep ladder and stepped into the wheelhouse.
Lyn stood at the helm, while Corey fiddled with some piece of equipment. From the high vantage they could see all of Saipan rise in rolling green hills before them. A row of hotels stood at the water’s edge, their guests still sleeping off a day of swimming, gambling, and lounging in the sun. Sally wondered which world was truly hers: comfort and safety, or hazard and excitement?
Movement behind her. She turned to see Maddock rise from a tiny cubby and rub his eyes. “Maddock? You spent the night up here too?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his face. “Bones got tired, so I took over for him.”
Lyn grinned like a well-fed tiger. Sally shook her head. “I’m sure you both got a good workout.”
Maddock’s eyes went wide and he gave a quick shake of his head. Sally had to laugh. Finally, he forced a smile and said, “I guess each in our own way, we did.”
As they rounded the outer buoy, Lyn pulled the throttles back a notch and let their momentum carry them into the harbor. The radio squawked, and she responded with a few words. Corey looked up from his tinkering. “You’ll need a new antenna before this GPS will work.”
“We’ll tie to the fuel dock and top off our tanks. But I don’t want to spend any more time here than we have to. If you can get it in an hour, great. Otherwise, the Love Boat sails without you.”
Maddock said, “I’ll go handle the lines.”
Corey followed, saying something about coffee and breakfast. Sally stood at the bridge, suddenly awkward, watching Lyn’s expert control of engines and rudder. “You must do this a lot. I mean, two powerful motors. How long have you done it?”
“As long as I can remember. Come here, take the wheel and I’ll give you some pointers.”
Lyn insisted when Sally demurred. Reluctantly, she took the stainless-steel helm in hand as the tall woman stood behind her. “Now we’re going to dock right there where that guy is standing. The trick is to come in with a little momentum, then play the engines against each other. Port, starboard, back and forth, let them do the work.”
Lyn took Sally’s right hand and placed it on the smooth throttle levers. “Now reverse starboard like this and wheel over. Now reverse port.”
Sally felt like a little kid again steering the family car from her father’s lap. Behind her, Lyn instructed her, and soon she felt like she was getting the hang of it.
“Now throttle in neutral and wait,” Lyn said.
They bumped the dock a bit too hard and Lyn crashed into her.
“Crap,” Sally said.
“That was your first time, wasn’t it?” She winked. “I mean, docking, of course.”
“Great. I’m surrounded by jokers.”
Lyn cocked her head to one side, and to her credit, didn’t smirk much. “In all seriousness, you did well. You’ve got the moves. We’ll keep practicing. You’ll get your turn at the wheel.”
Down below Sally could see Bonebrake securing the lines. Maddock stood on the pier arguing with someone. Moments later, he was in the wheelhouse. “We’ve got a problem. Seems that Lark slipped out of here without paying her fuel bill a few months ago. Now I’ve got to pay in full, and in cash. That wasn’t part of our deal.”
Lyn said, “Okay, deduct it from my share of the treasure. You’re the one who figured I was broke. Why are you surprised?”
“Twenty percent. You’re down to twenty percent or we take our thousand pounds of Spam and leave right now.”
Sally made a face. “Do you know how ridiculous you both sound?”
“You are a hard man, Dane Maddock.” Lyn pursed her lips and eyed him intently. “Someday maybe I’ll find out how hard.”
Maddock ignored the innuendo. “It’s a couple of grand, I can’t get that much from an ATM and it’s two hours before the banks open. I’ll get some cash then, but we won’t be out of here before noon.”
Corey said, “There’s a marine supplies shop just up the road. I’ll go pick up the GPS antenna.”
“Just don’t mention who it’s for,” Maddock said. “I don’t want to be paying off half the island.”
Lyn nodded. “Probably a good idea. I’ll talk to the dock-master up there and tell him he’ll get paid if he keeps his mouth shut. Oh, and don’t mention to anyone where we’re going. Special permits and everything. We just don’t need the hassle.”
Sally didn’t feel like hanging around. “I feel like stretching my legs. Mind if I come along with you into town?”
They managed to flag a cab just outside the port gates and headed for Garapan, the main tourist center. Sally noticed that most of the people she saw were more of her own stature, and closer to her own complexion. The cabby explained. “We are Chamorro, the original inhabitants. My ancestors lived on these islands for thousands of years before the Spanish came. After that, the Germans, then the Japanese, and now the Americans. In a thousand years, we’ll still be here. I wonder about everyone else though.”
He pointed out the bank building. As they entered town and dropped them both off near the casinos. Garapan looked to Sally like any other small island town. Clustered about the hotels and casinos, it had a shopping nucleus at the center and commercial districts on the perimeter. The bank was not yet open so Sally suggested a walk on the beach.
They passed several early-risers, hotel staff mostly, and found themselves on a deserted beach. Sally took off her shoes and dug her toes in the sand. “I guess you and Bonebrake are used to this sort of atmosphere.”
Maddock maintained his usual quiet manner. “Yeah. We see a lot of sand and saltwater.”
She watched him from the corner of her eye. For a man with such a dangerous background and risky career, the man seemed oddly introverted. A young jogger passed them. Tall, blond, high cheekbones, she looked Slavic, probably Russian. Sally watched Maddock watch the ponytail as it bobbed by. He turned and grinned at her. “Go put your foot in the water.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
She walked to the water’s edge and waded out. “My god, it’s warm... like a bath.”
“Takes some getting used to. Come on, let’s go walk through town, what there is of it.”
They passed a variety of restaurants and outlet stores. Sally peered at designer purses on display. “They’re good, mostly fakes... but look at those prices; I could find cheaper stuff in New York City.”
Maddock walked along looking at the upper floors. “Interesting, this one is a Chinese brothel, and across the street it looks like a Russian brothel, but there’s no Japanese establishment anywhere.”
“It’s here, you just won’t see it, sailor. They’re far more discreet.”
Maddock checked his cell phone. “We’ve got time for a cup of coffee,” he said. “Maybe we should take our last good meal before we leave civilization.”
Just down from hotel row they found an espresso bar with outside tables and home-baked pastries. Sally ordered a cinnamon roll and a cappuccino. The roll was huge, and she could swear it was still warm. The cappuccino was served in a proper white bowl with just the right touch of foam. She settled back and watched Maddock gulp his Americano.
“So, what’s your friend’s deal? In terms of relationships, I mean.”
The man checked his phone again. Umpteenth time, Sally thought, worse than some New Yorkers.
“He’s a good guy, but he changes girls like some people change underwear.”
A pang of disappointment washed over Sally. “Really? He doesn’t seem the type.”
Maddock looked up. “Really? He’s just so... in your face with his flirting I didn’t think it was possible to miss.”
Sally understood. “Not Bones. Corey! What’s his deal? Has he got some cute cosplayer back home? Tell me he doesn’t live in Mom’s basement.”
Maddock laughed, shook his head. “No. He’s got his own place. Doesn’t date much. Too shy.”
Sally nodded. Challenge accepted.
At straight up ten, the bank doors opened, and Sally followed Maddock inside. He spoke at the counter for a while. The teller shook her head. Maddock spoke again, and the teller glanced at a security guard.
“Come on, Sally. We’ve got bigger problems than I thought.” Maddock was out the door before she could react. She caught up with him at the curb. “Quick! This way. Don’t run, and don’t look back.”
Sally followed across the street, through a parking lot, and around behind a two-story apartment. Maddock grabbed her arm and pushed her toward a flight of stairs. “Up, up.”
Quick footsteps in the alley, and the security guard stepped out just as someone peeled away from the curb and swerved into the morning traffic. He paused to write something on a pad and walk back to the bank.
Maddock shook his head. “Someone has frozen my account and put a fraud alert out on withdrawals.”
“They’ll know we were here,” Sally said. “We’ve got to leave now.”
“Can’t do it. Not without fuel. Say, you wouldn’t happen to have a spare thousand or two, would you? I’ll cut you in for Lyn’s five percent.”
“Not a chance, sailor boy.”
“Well, I know my guys don’t have it.”
“I’ve got an idea. Something I haven’t done in a while but I’m pretty good at it.” She paused, enjoying the bemused expression on Maddock’s face. “You've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky?”
“All right, Dirty Harry, what’s the plan?”
“Just stroll toward the casino. I’ll catch up.”
To her surprise, Maddock didn’t argue. It was nice to have trust placed in her from time to time. Of course, if he knew what she was up to, he might not be so trusting.
She wandered into a nearby gift shop and began to browse, letting her eyes sweep across the rows of kitschy souvenirs and gifts. The cashier was an inattentive young woman who had eyes only for the screen of her smart phone. In no time Sally had swiped a cap and two sets of fake prescription glasses. She paid for a pack of breath mints, but only because the cashier’s purse was sitting open next to the register and it gave Sally the opportunity to swipe her wallet. Sally tried to engage the cashier in polite conversation, but the girl pointedly turned her back and returned to her phone, which was reason enough, Sally determined, to help herself to a knockoff PINK-brand shirt.
Maddock didn’t recognize her when she caught up to him at the Island Girl Hotel and Casino.
“How do I look?” she asked, turning around for him to admire her change in appearance.
“I like the glasses, but the girly shirt and hat make you look younger and frankly kind of bubble-headed. I prefer the brainy version.”
She resisted the urge to ask which version Corey preferred.
“So, what’s the plan?”
“Here, you take this.” She handed him the cash she’d taken from the cashier’s wallet. “Go inside and play a few games until I catch up with you. And you need a disguise.” She tousled his hair and handed him a pair of John Lennon glasses.
“Where did you get all this?”
“I’ve lived on the streets at times, and I’ve developed a few skills. Don’t worry about it. The credit card company will cover the losses,” she waggled a purloined card, “and I’ve got a plan for returning the wallet with the cash. Just play along.”
Maddock shook his head. “I thought I was leaving the criminal element back on the boat when I didn’t bring Bones along. But all right. I don’t see that we have much choice.”
As he turned to head for the casino, he warned, “Keep your eyes peeled. The guard from the bank is wandering around with two other guys. Whatever you’ve got in mind, it better be quick.”
“Then quit talking and start gambling.”
As Maddock wandered over to the slots, she walked up to the cashier’s cage, giggling and winking at the old man behind the counter. “I don’t know how much I have left on my card,” she said.
“How much you need?” the man asked.
“Three thousand,” she said. It was a gamble. She had no idea how much available credit the woman might have. “All black chips.”
The man swiped the card and shook his head. “Declined.”
“I’m so sorry. I might have brought the wrong card. Can you try it again for two thousand?” She hated the faux-sweet persona she’d adopted, but it was working on the old man.
“No problem, sweetie.” He swiped the card again. This time, he smiled. “All good.”
Sally accepted the chips, then slipped quietly into the crowd. She first headed for a nearby gift shop where she purchased a few small items, mainly because she wanted the gift bag. Back at the casino, she caught sight of Maddock, still at the slots. Hopefully that would keep him busy for a while. Not wanting to be spotted together, she wandered the floor for a while. Most of the men paused to check her out, but a few creepers, older white guys, American to a man, called out invitations to join them, calling out lewd invitations and asking if she wanted a daddy. These were the men to whom she paid the most attention, as she was more than happy to relieve them of cash and chips.
“Go back to the 1970s, you creeper,” she muttered as she sashayed away from the last man, who had told her one too many times that she reminded him of his niece. He was now $100 lighter, but given his drunken state, he was unlikely to miss a few twenties from the wad of cash he’d tucked into his pocket.
She texted Maddock to check his whereabouts. He replied that he’d won $200 at the slots and was now running it up at the blackjack table.
Sally grinned. He didn’t know his gambling was a mere distraction. Why not let him have his fun, at least for a little while? She sat down at a slot machine and watched Maddock play a few hands. Maddock was steadily gaining. As Sally watched, he doubled-down on a pair of eights with four hundred dollars riding on each card. A small crowd gathered to watch the action. He tipped the dealer with a chip and she hit him with a nine and a seven. He waved her off. She hit out the old woman next to him, then turned a king to her own five and hit herself out with another king. The crowd let out a collective sigh. Maddock pulled his winnings over to him, tipped her once more, and stacked four more chips on the table.
Sally looked around the casino. From the corner of her eye, she saw three bulky men cruising through a bank of slot machines, headed in the direction of the blackjack tables.
She sent Maddock another text. Bank guard and friends are here. Need to act fast. I’m at your five o’clock. Don’t acknowledge, just grab the gift bag next to my seat, and go cash out.
Maddock replied with a thumbs-up. A minute later, he strode past her and scooped up the gift bag. She heard his grunt of surprise when he felt its weight and realized what was inside.
These dummies think of me as a little girl. Maybe they’ll finally change their minds.
She met him a short distance away a few minutes later. Maddock was grinning from ear to ear.
“How did you manage it?” He grimaced as she explained what she’d done. “So, we basically stole it from that cashier.”
“No, a bunch of it was stolen from drunken perverts. And don’t worry about the cashier. She’ll report the card stolen and get the charges reimbursed. Actually, give me $200.” He handed over the cash and she tucked it into the girl’s wallet. “Now she’ll actually come out a little bit ahead.” She handed the wallet to Maddock.
“What’s this for?”
“One last bit of stealth. Go back to that t-shirt shop and drop this into the girl’s purse.”
“What if she sees me?”
Sally laughed. “You were a Navy SEAL and you’re worried about being spotted by a shop clerk?”
Maddock smiled. “Point taken. I won’t be a minute. Stay close and keep an eye out for the Russians.” He turned and melted into the crowd.
Sally followed him, or at least, headed in the same direction. The man actually could vanish when he had a mind to. The t-shirt shop was just ahead, so she moved off to the side and kept an eye on the front door.
She smelled him a second before he grabbed her roughly by the arm. Cheap cologne, the kind that stung your eyes and burned your nostrils. She was already in motion when he grabbed her.
Sally spun in the direction in which he pulled, adding the momentum to the force of her blow. She drove her elbow into the jaw of the man she recognized as one of the bank guard’s cronies. The blow snapped his head to the side and he spat a curse.
“Su-ka!”
Living in an international city, she’d been called a bitch in many languages, including Russian, so the word was familiar. She clawed at his eyes, but he turned his head and her nails raked his shaven scalp. She followed with a knee aimed for the groin that he blocked with his hip. Sally tried to jerk away, but she could not break the grip he had on her arm. God, the man was strong!
She landed a side-kick to the knee, which actually made him wince, but it wasn’t strong enough to do serious damage. She balled her fist but froze when she realized he was smiling down at her. He wasn’t threatened by her. He found her amusing?
“Oh, hell no,” she hissed.
The man frowned and then...
A fist struck him in the temple with a splat like raw meat hitting the counter. Her assailant collapsed.
“You all right?” Maddock asked, rubbing his fist.
“I was just getting started.”
“No sign of his friends?”
Sally shook her head.
“Good, let’s get the hell out of here.”
They made their way back to Lark without catching sight of the Russians. She kept a lookout as they topped off her tanks and Maddock recounted the story of their exploits.
“I’m telling you, it was all her,” Maddock told the other crew members.
“Doesn’t surprise me,” Corey said.
Sally hated that her heart skipped a beat when he said that. What she hated even more was how Maddock’s approval warmed her heart. She was beginning to feel like part of a team. That wasn’t her.
When they were finally back on the water, Corey wandered up.
“Hey, I was wondering if you’d like to go over some of the treasure data together.”
“Look, I’m not one of your crew, or whatever you guys are. You can handle it yourself.”
Not quite sure who she was angry with, Sally turned on her heel and stalked away.